Deer Grove Forest Preserve, Illinois, United States
4.5 (52 reviews) Spent Ranking #1 in Palatine Nature & Wildlife Areas
A variety of recreational opportunities in Nature
I visited Deer Grove Forest Preserve in Palatine on a beautiful Fall day in November. The preserve offers a myriad of different activities to connect with nature. The preserve is in two units, East and West. Deer Grove West is a heavily wooded area and the main trail here is a mountain bike or hiking loop trail which is about a six-mile long. Deer Grove East is more open with prairies, shaded savannas and wetlands. The main trail here is a relatively flat 2.8-mile paved loop trail. Well crafted interpretive spur trails branch off this trail drawing the visitor’s attention to different basic nature themes: land, sky, and water. Deer Grove is absolutely worth a visit. Ample parking and picnic shelters are available.
Address
North Quentin Road, Palatine, Illinois, United States.
Website
https://fpdcc.com/places/locations/deer-grove/
Current local date and time now
Friday, May 10, 2024, 2:07
User Ratings
4.5 based on (52 reviews)
Reviews
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5illinois travelere 5:00 PM Dec 27, 2020
destination hike
About 15 years ago, when O'Hare Airport was expanded, the new runways destroyed the local wetlands. Federal law required the City of Chicago to replace them, and one of the happy results is the restoration work done at Deer Grove. Today Deer Grove consists of 1800 acres (almost four times the size of the original purchase site back in 1916) and is divided into east and west sections, bisected by Quentine Road. The area includes prairie, wetlands, woodlands, ravines, and savannah. For those who are sheltering responsibly, Deer Grove offers a wonderful opportunity to leave home safely and possibly meet with friends and/or family for a socially-distanced hike. See my earlier review (April 7, 2020) for more details.
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5illinois travelere 5:00 PM Aug 12, 2021
the perfect place to forest bathe (shinrin-yoku)
The east and west sections offer entirely different experiences -- the west side less developed and more "natural". Both are worth visiting at any time of year. Bring your binoculars for bird watching and animal sightings; and your insect repellent for obvious summer reasons. This is an ideal place to forest bathe. This practice results in lower blood pressure, heart rates, and levels of harmful hormones — like stress-related cortisol. As little as 20 minutes can work wonders. Please read my earlier reviews (April 7, 2020 and November 22, 2020) for more information about Deer Grove.
